Seat or bench structure for bowling alleys



Jag. 11, .1944.

5:. J, CLOUTIER SEAT OR BBKCH STRUCTURE FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filnd June 5, 1941 1/ 8 fl 7 L I lwgal 7a 4%2U6/Zf07'. 32 I 174 Jaw Patented Jan. 11, 1944 SEAT OR BENCH STRUCTURE FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Ellery J. Cloutier, Muskegon, Mich., assignor to The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company,

Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application June 5, 1941, Serial No. 396,703

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a seat structure adapted for various uses, but especially designed for use in conjunction with bowling alleys.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and attractive seat or bench which can be economically manufactured and easily installed in the position of use.

Another object is to supply a seat unit which can be secured in fixed position on a floor and which is so designed as to avoid corners or pockets in which dirt or refuse might accumulate whereby the structure is rendered easy to clean.

A further object is to provide a seat structure or bench adapted for the use of players in a bowling alley, and especially designed to afford space and retaining means for the storage of bowling balls.

And it is also an object of the invention to provide a seat structure which includes a seat member and upright supporting frames therefor, together with a horizontal platform spaced below the seat member by a suitable distance to afford storage space for bowling balls and other equipment, the forward edge of the platform being spaced back from the forward edge of the seat and spaced also from a horizontal rail or rod near the front of the structure so as to form a track adapted to support and retain a bowling ball under the forward portion of the seat.

It may be understood that the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, and that the embodiment shown in the drawing and dscribed herein is by way of preferred illustration only. It is not the intention to limit the invention thereto or thereby, but rather to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a seat structure embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on a larger scale and substantially as indicated at line 2-2 on Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail plan section taken as indicated at line 33 on Figure 2.

In the use of a bowling alley, and especially during team or league play, it is desirable to provide seating equipment for the several players, so arranged that the approaches to the alley may be kept clear except for the presence of those actually engaged in bowling. Particularly during change of shifts, in league bowling, it is convenient to have a special place for the ball, preferably in close association with the players who are to use it, and where it will be retained until needed. The seat structure of this invention meets both requirements.

As shown in the drawing, the seat unit of this invention is in the form of a bench comprising a continuous or unitary seat and back-rest l, of suitable contour, which may be constructed of any satisfactory sheet material, but is preferably formed of laminated wood, known as ply wood. This element i is supported on upright frames 2, disposed at opposite ends of the part i and constructed in accordance with the usual Woodworking practice. The frames 2 include horizontal seat-supporting members 3, vertical leg portions i and ii at the front and rear of the seat respectively, and bottom bars 6 connecting the leg portions at their lower ends. The seat units may be installed as separate sections, or may be joined end to end, in any desired arrangement; hence, it may be understood that the end frames of each section may extend in planes at right angles to the front edge of the seat I, or obliquely thereto, depending upon the desired form of the complete assembly of units. But with any arrangement, each unit includes a base or platform panel I slightly elevated from the level of the supporting floor. As shown, the ends of the panel l rest upon the upper edges of the bottom bars 6, and a filler rail 8 is fitted between the front edge of the panel and the floor and extends longitudinally of the seat structure between the bottom bars 6, 6. At the rear of the structure the end frames 2, 2 are connected by a back rail which is shown composed of two members 9 and it of substantially equal height, attached at their ends to the leg portions 5, 5. The outer member iii has its upper edge rabbeted to form a groove or channel II which receives the tongue it formed on the lower edge of the back panel l3. If desired, the back panel may be covered on its outer face with leather or other ornamental fabric, indicated at M, to afford a pleasing appearance, and its upper edge is fitted into the rabbeted top rail I5 of the seat. The back panel may be removably secured in position by means of screws I5 extending into the rear edges of the upright leg members 5.

The seat panel I is reinforced by means of a cross rail l'l extending longitudinally and secured at its ends to the seat-supporting members 3 of the end frames. The front edge of the seat is also reinforced and finished by means of a rail I8 which rests in notches it formed in the upper ends of the leg members 4, and which is secured to said members by angle irons 28. The platform panel l is held in place at each end by means of offset metallic clips 2| screwed to the under face of the panel I, with their ends engaging in a groove 22 in the face of the bottom bar 6 as seen in Figure 2.

At each end of the rail 8 a flat floor plate 23 is secured to the rail and to the adjacent bottom bar 5 by screws 25., and thus serves as a connection between these parts; and the plate is apertured at 25 to receive an anchoring screw, indicated at 26 in Figure 2, for attaching the bench to the floor. When the bench is to be installed the back panel I3 is left off, and the space between the rear edge of the platform member 1, and the back rail member 9, affords access for installing the anchoring screws 21 for securing the rear of the bench to the floor by means of angle irons 28 already attached to the member 9. When this has been done the gap is closed by a curved sheet metal cover strip or molding 29, forming a smoothly rounded or cove construction at the rear of the platform 1; the flange 30 of the molding at its upper edge rests on the upper edge of the member 9, and the lower edge of the molding is tacked into the rabbeted rear edge of the panel l in flush relation to the upper surface thereof. Then the back panel M may be set into the groove i i and secured in place by means of its fastening screws H5.

The platform I under the seat provides a shelf just off the floor to accommodate shoes, dufrle bags and other miscellaneous equipment which the bowlers may wish to store during the game, and the cove molding 29 at the rear of the shelf 4 avoids the formation of an angular pocket in which dirt and refuse might accumulate, and which would then be difficult to clean. The bottom bars 6, together with the front rail 8 and back rail 9, serve to enclose the space under the platform panel 1 on all sides, thus preventing the accumulation of dirt thereunder and making it a structure of this invention includes a track or runway arranged under the seat to receive one or more bowling balls. Such a track is formed by the rounded forward edge 1 of the platform or shelf '5 in cooperation with a rail l which is shown in the form of a pipe or tubular member supported at its ends in the legs 4 of the-end frames 2, and extending parallel to the edge I of the platform I at substantially the same level as the platform. Thus a bowling ball, such as that shown at A in Figure 2, will rest securely on the track i T where it will not project too far forward in relation to the seat, but will still be within easy reach when wanted. The tubular rail l may also serve as a convenient foot-rest for players seatedon the bench. Preferably, the forward edges of. the uprights l are provided with ornamental and protective metallic moldings 31, and the outer back rail member l may be fitted with a metallic covering 32 in the nature of a kick plate, which will serve to maintain the good appearance of the unit indefinitely.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a seat structure including a seat member with upright supports therefor, a platform panel extending between said uprights at a plane above the floor and below said seat, and a bar extending between said upright supports at substantially the same level as said platform panel in parallel relation to the forward edge thereof and spaced from said edge at a distance to form therewith a rack or runway dimensioned to support and guide a bowling ball.

2. In combination, a seat structure including a seat member with upright support therefor, a platform panel extending between saiduprights at a plane above the floor and at a substantial distance below said seat, the forward edge of the platform being spaced back from the forward edge of the seat, a front rail disposed between said forward edge of the panel and the floor cooperating with the uprights to substantially close the space below the panel, and a bar extending between said upright supports spaced above the floor at substantially the same level as the panel and disposed forwardly thereof in parallel relation to the forward edge of the panel at a distance to form therewith a rack or runway to support and guide a bowling ball.

3. A seat structure including a seat member with upright supports therefor, a platform panel extending between said uprights at a plane above the floor-and below the seat member, the space between the platform and the seat being open at the front, a front rail closingthe space between the forward edge of the platform and the door, a back rail connecting the uprights and spaced from the rear edge of the platform, and upwardly trending, forwardly concave memher connecting the rear edge of the platform with said back rail to close the gap between said parts and providing a surface substantially con tinuous with the upper face of the platform.

a. A seat structure including a seat member with upright supports therefor, a platform panel extending between said uprightsat a plane above the floor and below the seat member, the space between the platform and the seat being open at the front, a back rail connecting the uprights and spacedfrom the rear edge of the platform, fastening means including a bracket secured to said back rail and accessible through said space for securement to the floor, and a cover strip dimensioned to span the space between the rear edge of the platform and said back rail and applicable thereto after securement of the bracket to the floor.

5. A seat structure including a seat member with upright supports therefor, a platform panel extending between said uprights at a plane above the floor and below the seat member, the space between the platform and the seat being open at the front, a back rail connecting the uprights and spaced from the rear edge of the platform, fastening means including a bracket secured to said back rail and accessible through said space for securement to the floor, and'a cover strip dimensioned to span the space between the rear edge of the platform and said back rail and applicable thereto after securement-of the bracket to the floor, together with a back panel for the structure and fastening means therefor externally accessible for securing thepanel in place after placement of said cover strip.

6. A seat structure including a seat member with upright supports therefor, a platform panel extending between said uprights at a plane above the floor and below the seat member, the space between the platform and the seat being open at the front, a back rail connecting the uprights and spaced from the rear edge of the platform, fastening means including a bracket secured to said back rail and accessible through said space forsecurement to the floor, and a cover strip dimensioned to span the space between the rear edge of the platform and said back rail and applicable thereto after securement of the bracket to the floor, said cover strip being forwardly concave and trending upwardly from the platform as a substantial continuation of the upper surface thereof. 7

' ELLERY J. CLOUTIER. 

